Peanut Butter Diet
Peanut butter is one of America’s favorite foods, which makes the peanut butter diet quite easy to follow.
As well as being tasty and versatile, it has great nutritional value great health benefits. It contains around 30-35% protein and is a great source of dietary fiber, iron, magnesium, calcium, vitamin B3 and vitamin E.
Peanut Butter Diet Health Benefits:
• As a very good source of monounsaturated fats– the type of fat that is emphasized in the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet, peanut butter can decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease.
• A couple of teaspoons of peanut butter consumption per day is associated with a reduced risk of weight gain thanks to monounsaturated fat and high fiber content.
• Peanut butter is rich in antioxidants and roasted peanuts rival the antioxidant content of blackberries and strawberries. Roasting can increase the p-coumaric acid levels and overall antioxidant content by 22%.
• Nutrients found in peanuts- folic acid, phytic acid and resveratrol may protect you from certain cancers.
• An ounce of peanut butter a week can decrease the risk of developinggallstones by about 25%.
• Niacin content in peanut butter can protect against Alzheimer’s and age-related cognitive decline.
Peanut Butter for Weight Loss:
It has 9 calories per gram- high in calories so it needs to be eaten in moderation. However, peanut butter has a higher ‘satiety value’ than almost any other food – after eating it you will want to eat less of other foods. It may even raise your resting metabolic rate slightly, according to a Purdue University study.
Peanut Butter for Fitness:
Peanut butter is a wonderful source of protein and eaten in moderation- two tablespoons a day, is a reliable food for fitness enthusiasts.
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats as well as high fiber content may help you maintain a lean body while building muscles, as part of a healthy diet.
Selection of Peanut Butter:
• Avoid peanut butters with palm oil or other cheap oils added to them. They are high in saturated fats and not good for your health.
• Sugar is also widely used in peanut butters, and often hidden as sucrose or fructose. They can cause tooth decay and add to the calorie count with no nutritional benefits.
• Your best option is the peanut butters with only peanuts in them or a small quantities of salt in them.
• Processed peanut butters usually contain trans fatty acids / saturated fats that may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. When they are badly preserved, they can host the mold Aspergillus flavus, that produces a carcinogenic substance called aflatoxin.
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References:
Fortin, Francois, Editorial Director. The Visual Foods Encyclopedia. Macmillan, New York 1996.
Wood, Rebecca. The Whole Foods Encyclopedia. New York, NY: Prentice-Hall Press; 1988 1988. PMID:15220.
Peanut Butter Diet, http://www.fitness-health.co.uk/ peanut-butter-diet.htm.
Ensminger AH, Esminger M. K. J. e. al. Food for Health: A Nutrition Encyclopedia. Clovis, California: Pegus Press; 1986 1986. PMID:15210.
Peanuts, http://www.whfoods.com/ genpage.php?tname= foodspice&dbid=101.
